


Of A Feather

by Silverheart



Series: Bats and Birds [13]
Category: Batman: Arkham (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Important Conversation, Post-Game, batfamily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-17
Updated: 2015-08-17
Packaged: 2018-04-15 01:14:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4587402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverheart/pseuds/Silverheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The ones Batman has left behind finally come together to figure out where to go next.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of A Feather

“The thing,” Tim started, then stopped as the pain in his chest swelled. The crutches still really took it out of him. Even walking across the damn clocktower.

Barb had stopped, spinning, looking at him. He’d always admired how well she moved the wheelchair around. He didn’t think he could pull it off. “What thing?”

“The thing that bothers me the most is that it turns out there wasn’t a cure. I worked for months there for _nothing_.” He hobbled along a little bit more angrily. “And when the city went to hell, that was what I was doing, when Scarecrow had you.”

“Please don’t be mad at Bruce. Not after everything.”

Tim sighed. “I know. It’s not…it’s just one of those things.”

“There’s been a lot of those things, now.” She shook her head. “What do you think Dick wants?”

“I don’t know, to go skydiving off the clock tower?”

“You’re on Vicodin. Stop being so grumpy.”

“It’s not enough,” he growled, finding a chair and dropping into it, finally free of the crutches for at least a little while. 

She came over to him. “Oh, grow up,” she said, and kissed his forehead. “Think of how good it will be to see Dick again.”

“But I don’t feel like going skydiving off the clock tower,” he said, no heart in the words.

“Shut up.” She returned to her computer, throwing up the footage from the tower’s security camera. “Looks like he’s going to use the front door, in civilians, no less.”

“I don’t trust it.”

She hit the button to let Dick in. “Take more pills.”

“I can’t wait til I’m done with this and feel like myself again.”

Dick walked through the elevator. Tim could only glare at his lack of crutches. “Huh. I think we’re missing someone.”

Barb frowned. “What are you talking ab—“

There was aloud crunch and bits of the ceiling fell in. A flash of red and grey dropped down from above. Tim was on his feet before he could think. 

“Well, well,” the newcomer said. His face was hidden under a blank red helmet. The red, stylized bat on his chest wasn’t reassuring. “If it isn’t my replacement.”

Tim’s legs gave out and he had to sit back down. “Who the hell are you?”

The intruder threw back his jacket’s hood and tapped his neck. His helmet flipped up. Tim blinked, trying to place that face. It seemed so familiar, with that vicious J brand on his cheek... “Jason Todd,” the man said.

Tim knew that name and the story behind it. It couldn’t be. “You’re kidding.” Tim looked at a Dick. 

“It’s Jason,” Dick said, “He was the Arkham Knight. He…it’s complicated.”

Jason tucked his helmet under his arm. He looked armed to the teeth. “It’s not. I survived, I escaped, I…made some choices.” He glared down at Tim. “What’s so special about you, then, that he just forgot me?”

“Hey.” Dick moved between them. “Let it go, alright? It’s beyond done, Jason. Nothing has ever been over like all that was. The Joker is dead. _Bruce_ is dead. Let. It. Go.”

Tim realized he had a death grip on the chair and slowly released it. “He never forgot you, Jason.” He’d never even met this guy. Bruce and Dick had avoided the subject as best they could. Tim had put the pieces together, over time, but it was all history to him, and someone else’s, at that. “He used to use your name when talking to me for months.”

Dick hit Jason on the shoulder playfully. “See? Not like you’ve been thinking. Anyway, I didn’t ask you all here to have this argument.” He walked over to the computer console and sat on it. Barb glared at him.

Jason cast a cool glance at Tim, then looked back to Dick. “Well, at least you don’t stand on your head while talking anymore. You have no idea how annoying that was.”

Tim smiled at the distance. “He used to say that. In the same way, too.” He shook himself. “Anyway, we need to figure out what to do.”

“Stop sitting on my stuff,” Barb said, rolling forward to shoo him off the console, “I thought you were staying in Bludhaven.”

“I am, but there’s been posted bail and jailbreaks and all kinds of scum on the loose. Gotham can’t just be left behind.”

“It won’t be,” Jason said.

Tim nodded. “As soon as I’m back on my feet again, there will be hell to pay.”

“With what resources?”

Barb snorted. “Me, for one.”

“Okay, okay.” Dick held up his hands in surrender to her glare. He was quiet for awhile. “And then…we should figure out who killed Bruce, you know.”

Jason snorted. “He did it himself, obviously. It’s a trick.”

“It’s been months. He hasn’t contacted us at all. If he was still out there, he would.”

“The Manor was blown to dust,” Barb said, “I read all the reports. Unless you Boy Wonders think you can work some forensic magic, there’s nothing to be found.” They all glared at her and said nothing. “Alright, then. So we want to figure out what to do next? Tim’s still out for a few weeks.” She looked at Jason. “Do you want to start going on patrol?”

“Heh. Already on it. Knocked Black Mask off a few nights ago.”

Barb’s eyes narrowed. “Shots fired downtown. Lots of casualties. That was you, wasn’t it?”

Jason looked her in the eye. “Yeah. Sure you still want me in?”

“Jason…”

“Well?”

“No killing.”

“Not your call.”

“Do you think it will help?” she asked, more sad than snappish, “Do think killing will make the pain stop?”

He looked at her grimly for a moment, then smiled. That hideous J brand warped the normal expression into something slightly disturbing. “Yeah, it will. You’ll never really get it, Barbara, and be happy about that.” 

Tim sat back in his chair, feeling winded suddenly. It was all so obvious to him what they should do, though not without guilt, and the meds were letting up. “Let him do what he wants, Barb,” he said, “We can’t do things like we used to. What are we supposed to do if another scumbag decides to pull what Scarecrow did? How are we supposed to face down an army?”

“Tim, if you start—”

“I won’t, I promise. But we need all the help we can get.”

“Black Mask is one more problem you aren’t going to have again,” Jason said, looking between the three of them, “I’m going to try to make things right, after all the nightmares.” One of his hands clenched into a fist. “Help or get out of my way.”

“We’ll help,” Dick said, “We’ll all help each other. We all have a legacy to uphold, people to keep safe.”

Barb nodded. “I can get you a link into our communication network, Jason. Give me a few days. We don’t have the resources we used to, like Dick said.”

He bowed his head. “Sounds good to me.” He flipped his red mask back down. “I’ll be in touch.” He took out a grappling hook and soared out the hole he’d made in the roof.

“And that’s broken,” Dick said, “Listen, I’ll help out before I go back to Bludhaven, which could be awhile, if you guys think you need it.”

Tim shook his head. “You’ve got problems to solve there. We’ll manage.”

Dick smiled at him. “You’re sure? Vicodin’s not warping your perspective, now, buddy?”

“You’re hilarious.”

“Yeah, well.” He looked up at the hole. “Are you guys okay with Jason? I know what he did.”

“I spoke to him, when they captured me. He just needs us to be like we were, once. His friends, his family. He saved Bruce in the end, dad said,” Barb said, “I think it will work out. And he’s willing to work with us. If on his own terms.”

“Those are what really worry me.”

“You know the guy, Dick,” Tim said. He felt totally drained. Man, screw surgery. Screw all of this. “If you think something needs to be said, say it.”

“You doing okay?”

He leaned his head back. “Just getting through one day at a time.”


End file.
